Major League Baseball: 2025 Season

[JohnBM01]

The Los Angeles Dodgers sit atop the Major League Baseball mountain after the 2024 season of MLB. They defeated the powerful New York Yankees in five games of the 2024 World Series. A new season means a chance for the previous season's Champions to repeat as Champion, or for a new team to become Champions. Which scenario will happen in 2025? Only time will tell.

As we set things up for the 2025 season, let's look back at 2024. Here are the final standings from 2024:

--- 2024 Season Retrospective ---

(! = playoff team)

FINAL 2024 REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
AL EAST: New York Yankees! (94-68), BAL! (91-71), BOS (81-81), TB (80-82), TOR (74-88)
AL CENTRAL: Cleveland! (92-69), KC! and DET! (86-76 each), MIN (82-80), CHW (41-121)
AL WEST: Houston! (88-73), SEA (85-77), TEX (78-84), OAK (69-93), LAA (63-99)

NL EAST: Philadelphia! (95-67), ATL! and NYM! (89-73 each), WSH (71-91), MIA (62-100)
NL CENTRAL: Milwaukee! (93-69), STL! and CHC! (83-79 each), CIN (77-85), PIT (76-86)
NL WEST: Los Angeles Dodgers! (98-64), SD! (93-69), ARI (89-73), SF (80-82), COL (61-101)

--- 2024 MLB PLAYOFFS SUMMARY ---

WILD CARD (best-of-3):

• DET def. HOU 2-0
• KC def. BAL 2-0
• NYM def. MIL 2-1
• SD def. ATL 2-0

DIVISIONAL SERIES (best-of-5)

• CLE def. DET 3-2
• NYY def. KC 3-1
• LAD def. SD 3-2
• NYM def. PHI 3-1

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (best-of-7)

• NYY def. CLE 4-1
• LAD def. NYM 4-2

WORLD SERIES (best-of-7)
* LAD def. NYY 4-1

That was all last season. What will this one provide? We shall see! Everything ranging from offseason moves, news updates, and more are fair game to discuss in this thread. Everything from free agency and trades to the final out of the 2025 World Series are discussion-worthy.

So are you ready for the 2025 Major League Baseball season? Let's play ball!

 

[kjb]

I just read an interesting article on the NY Post about the Yankees. The article made the case that the biggest issue with the Yankees is they don't do the little things well. The Dodgers knew if they pressured them enough they would crack and make mistakes which they did especially Game 1 & 5. They thoroughly analyzed the Yankees and found things like they don't take big enough leads off the bases to be in better position to score. They don't know who needs to cover which bases when the ball is in play. Things like that. So basically the Yankees don't work on their fundamentals and try use talent to overcome the lack of fundamentals. TBH I agree and that the real reason they haven't won anything in a long time. Not the Astros cheating them but the lack of fundamentals not doing the little things that every champion needs to do win the chip. So the Yankees won't win until they fix this issue

 

[Blitz24]

I just read an interesting article on the NY Post about the Yankees. The article made the case that the biggest issue with the Yankees is they don't do the little things well. The Dodgers knew if they pressured them enough they would crack and make mistakes which they did especially Game 1 & 5. They thoroughly analyzed the Yankees and found things like they don't take big enough leads off the bases to be in better position to score. They don't know who needs to cover which bases when the ball is in play. Things like that. So basically the Yankees don't work on their fundamentals and try use talent to overcome the lack of fundamentals. TBH I agree and that the real reason they haven't won anything in a long time. Not the Astros cheating them but the lack of fundamentals not doing the little things that every champion needs to do win the chip. So the Yankees won't win until they fix this issue

The 2024 Yankees were an extremely poor baserunning and fielding team. It is a bit unfortunate that Judge's error opened the floodgates two days ago but showed the lack of fundamentals.

 

[Fezzik]

Please, let us Yankee fans mourn in peace for a few more days before we start with the autopsy.

 

[JohnBM01]

Bob Costas, longtime play-by-play announcer, announced his retirement recently after 42 years of service. I wish him well in his retirement.

 

[Fezzik]

From last year:

Dear Santa, please can you stick Juan Soto under the Yankee tree so we fans remember what it was like to have a good team.
We've put up with Boone and Cashman, surely that's worth going on the nice list.

Let's see if Santa is willing to help out again.

 

[JohnBM01]

Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, took extensive damage from Hurricane Milton. It can not be repaired in time for the 2025 season, so they will play their games at home at the Yankees' Spring Training park. The repair bill for Tropicana Field will be about $55.7M USD. It could be 2026 that the Rays will play again at Tropicana Field. I think the new park planned to be opened in 2028 will still be ongoing. Here is more information from CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/12/spor...ble-fixed-for-2026-season-spt-intl/index.html .

 

[Fezzik]

Rainouts and/or heatstroke in the Florida summer sun - not a good year to be a Ray.

 

[kjb]

I see the new evil empire The Dodgers are interested in Soto if he is interested in them anyway. This will be interesting

 

[Fezzik]

I see the new evil empire The Dodgers are interested in Soto if he is interested in them anyway. This will be interesting

New York needs to unite against the common foe. Maybe a timeshare to keep him on the east coast?

 

[kjb]

I think I remember reading somewhere he prefers the East Coast to the West but money can help change that preference sometimes 🤣

 

[Blitz24]

If it is down to pure money, it will be the Dodgers, Mets or Blue Jays. Yankees and Red Sox are close behind.

 

[Fezzik]

Phillies have joined the hunt apparently. Their GM has no problem with big contracts, not sure how high the owners push the payroll. Soto and Harper would be a disgustingly good duo.

 

[kjb]

If it is down to pure money, it will be the Dodgers, Mets or Blue Jays. Yankees and Red Sox are close behind.

It is a shame that somebody can outspend the Yankees. Back in my day nobody could do that. Hal is more interested in making money than winning World Series. His brother Harold was more like his dad unfortunately he passed away. TBH i think it is down to the Yankees & Mets. He loved being in NY and Uncle Steve has enough money to sway him. I think Yankees are willing to pay to a certain extent. As a fan I know they have other needs like closer, 3rd base but they are the Yankees not the Pirates or some small time franchise. I think the thing that bothers me most is the Yankees are one of the most famous franchises in all of sports. They are literally a license to print money especially when the win the WS. I will say this of the Dodgers they realize that they are a big time franchise and whatever they spend on the players they will make it back. Signing Ohtani has given a large group of fans in Japan. There are still a lot of people who become Dodger fans because of Fernando Valenzuela. You have to know the power of your brand and take advantage of it. I feel like the Yankees have forgotten who they are.
Okay rant over.

 

[JohnBM01]

The Houston Astros' ballpark will now be called Daikin Park. Daikin is a Japanese manufacturer of air conditioning. The ballpark has been Minute Maid Park (and jokingly called the "Juice Box") from 2002-2024. Some others even remember it as (sigh) Enron Field when it opened. The name change is official in January 2025.

So bye "Juice Box," hello "Ice Box."

 

[Fezzik]

The Houston Astros' ballpark will now be called Daikin Park. Daikin is a Japanese manufacturer of air conditioning. The ballpark has been Minute Maid Park (and jokingly called the "Juice Box") from 2002-2024. Some others even remember it as (sigh) Enron Field when it opened. The name change is official in January 2025.

So bye "Juice Box," hello "Ice Box."

I call it the Trash Can

(yes this Yankee fan is still bitter)

 

[JohnBM01]

Congratulations to the recently-crowned MVPs:

• AL MVP: Aaron Judge (NYY)
• NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani (LAD)

To me, it would have been criminal if Shohei-San didn't win the NL MVP. Come on now- 50 homers and 50 stolen bases! All alone in that club! Aaron Judge, well... Judge be Judging.


Salute to all others who won honors from the 2024 MLB season!

 

[JohnBM01]

Yusei Kikuchi reportedly signed a three-year deal for $63M USD to play for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Astros picked up Kikuchi this past season for what seemed a controversial trade at the time, and in all but one start the Astros won every game he started for the Astros. I thought maybe Y. Kikuchi probably found a home here with the Astros. Apparently not, I guess. Worse than that, it means the Astros may have to face Yusei Kikuchi for at least four series, since the Astros and Angels play in the same division (AL West). Yay...

 

[Fezzik]

The strongest get stronger. Dodgers sign Blake Snell. Where do they find the money?
Thoughts and prayers for the rest of the National League. A new empire has risen.

Unlikely they can get them all healthy together for the playoffs, but Snell/Ohtani/Glasnow/Yamamoto is truly ridiculous.

 

[Blitz24]

The strongest get stronger. Dodgers sign Blake Snell. Where do they find the money?
Thoughts and prayers for the rest of the National League. A new empire has risen.

Unlikely they can get them all healthy together for the playoffs, but Snell/Ohtani/Glasnow/Yamamoto is truly ridiculous.

Dodgers have more money than the Yankees.

 

[Fezzik]

Dodgers have more money than the Yankees.

No, Dodgers are willing to spend more money than the Yankees. NYY still the most valuable franchise with the highest annual MLB revenue.

 

[Blitz24]

No, Dodgers are willing to spend more money than the Yankees. NYY still the most valuable franchise with the highest annual MLB revenue.

I never said the Yankees didn't have a higher revenue. I said the Dodgers owners (and probably the Mets and Blue Jays as well) have more money. I don't have the figures for the Dodgers VC group who own the team, but I know Cohen and Rogers are worth over 10 billion while Steinbrenner is worth only about 3 billion personally.

 

[Fezzik]

I never said the Yankees didn't have a higher revenue. I said the Dodgers owners (and probably the Mets and Blue Jays as well) have more money. I don't have the figures for the Dodgers VC group who own the team, but I know Cohen and Rogers are worth over 10 billion while Steinbrenner is worth only about 3 billion personally.

True, in owner top trumps Hal is a bit of a pauper. Poor fellow.